In further response to certain recommendations of the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee’s report into the effectiveness of Australia’s military justice system, the bill amends the

Defence Act 1903

,

Defence Force Discipline Act 1982

and

Defence Force Discipline Appeals Act 1955

to redesign summary discipline procedures to include: an automatic right of appeal from a summary authority to a single Military Judge of the Australian Military Court (AMC); the right to elect trial by a Military Judge of the AMC for most disciplinary offences; simplified rules of evidence; a form of review for technical errors related to the awarding of punishments and orders; simplification of offences and punishments; and changed jurisdictions of Superior Summary Authorities and Discipline Officers.

Introduced with the Do Not Call Register Bill 2006, the bill makes consequential amendments to the

Telecommunications Act 1997

,

Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005

and

Telecommunications (Carrier Licence Charges) Act 1997

to: provide for a regulatory framework for the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to investigate complaints and enforce the civil penalties regime which will apply to the making of unsolicited telemarketing calls; and enable the development of relevant industry codes and ACMA standards relating to telemarketing calls.

Introduced with the Do Not Call Register (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2006, the bill establishes a framework to regulate and minimise unsolicited telemarketing calls, including: establishing a Do Not Call Register which will allow individuals to register their home and mobile numbers on the register for a period of 3 years; establishing a complaints mechanism; and providing for a civil penalties regime.

Following government endorsement of the recommendations of the Review of the Corporate Governance of Statutory Authorities and Office Holders (the Uhrig Review) and the recommendations of an interdepartmental committee, the bill amends the

Defence Housing Authority Act 1987

to: rename the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) as Defence Housing Australia; reduce the size of the Board and create an advisory committee; expand the scope of the services DHA can provide and enable it to expand operations to include the provision of services to other Commonwealth agencies; remove DHA’s exemption from Commonwealth taxation and require it to make State and Territory tax equivalent payments to the Commonwealth; and remove outdated provisions. Also amends the

to permit the use of the Australian Defence Force to protect States and Territories in response to domestic security and violence situations and to protect Commonwealth interests where State and Territory jurisdictions do not apply. Also makes consequential amendments to the

Clarifies the extent of the ADF’s exemption from the operation of particular State and Territory road transport laws in certain circumstances, to enable the operation of the Australian Defence Force Road Transport Exemption Framework recently negotiated between the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and State and Territory road transport authorities by.